Scarrow, Alex - Time Riders (Time Riders #1) - Start Date March 12 (March 2014 Young Adult BOM)

[Lisarenee]

Questions and Comments for Chapters 27 - 36

13) So I find it interesting that they use the Kennedy assassination as a standard training exercise which implies they use it often. Wouldn't that mean they'd run into other trainees who had attempted or done the same thing? While I liked the ripple affect we see and the scant amount of world building associated with that change, I want to know why the TimeRiders notice the said changes? What makes them immune to it all? Could it be that since they were from the future, the ripple effect would take a while to grab hold of them and alter their memories? I wish this was explained.

14) Also, why wouldn't they see themselves in the same places they frequent day after day on the same day? I'm a touch confused. Shouldn't they see multiple versions of themselves? I feel like I'm seeing rips in the fabric of the story. It feels more like Groundhog Day than TimeRiding or time travel. If they'd mentioned a time loop or something of the sort I might be satisfied, but I don't recall any explanation.

15) Also, if time has a habit of fixing itself, are changes really that worrisome? The idea would imply there may be other forces at work, doesn't it? So what are they or am I reading too much into the Kennedy experience?

16) So we finally have confirmation that Kramer's team is bad news. Letting Hitler take over? I shudder at the thought of how that would alter the present. He was trying to cleanse the genetic pallet. Just imagine how many would have died. I have to ask, couldn't this have ended up with Maddy and Sal never existing to save (I believe this is called the grandfather paradox)? This made me think going back so far in time to utilize Liam might be a good idea. Perhaps he could have remained in the future even after a big change because he'd been displaced prior? The question is, could their home base or their equipment have survived? Look what happened to the cell phone.

17) Is anyone else incredibly curious as to where the other TimeRiders are? Wouldn't you think it'd be a good idea to know them or have some way of identifying another team if needed? Perhaps they're not far enough into their training for this? Could Foster have lied?

18) Foster's confession that he's only around 27 years old is disturbing. I'm guessing that's why he didn't go back in time with Liam--he's currently too sick. How will this four man (if you count Bob) crew be able to fix history? Will we meet more TimeRiders? Any theories?

[Imke]

Questions and Comments for Chapters 27 - 36

13) So I find it interesting that they use the Kennedy assassination as a standard training exercise which implies they use it often. Wouldn't that mean they'd run into other trainees who had attempted or done the same thing? While I liked the ripple affect we see and the scant amount of world building associated with that change, I want to know why the TimeRiders notice the said changes? What makes them immune to it all? Could it be that since they were from the future, the ripple effect would take a while to grab hold of them and alter their memories? I wish this was explained.
The only thing I can think of is that they live in some sort of time bubble and that changes don’t have an effect on them. They are not all from the future, Liam is from the past. I think they sort of live outside of time. Maybe there is only one TimeRider team at the time and they are it.

14) Also, why wouldn't they see themselves in the same places they frequent day after day on the same day? I'm a touch confused. Shouldn't they see multiple versions of themselves? I feel like I'm seeing rips in the fabric of the story. It feels more like Groundhog Day than TimeRiding or time travel. If they'd mentioned a time loop or something of the sort I might be satisfied, but I don't recall any explanation.
I think the place where they live is some sort of time loop, or time bubble. There they live outside of time. I think Forster explained in the beginning of the book that it is a 48 hour time bubble or something. In chapter 14: The archway you awoke in, the field office, exists in a time bubble of forty-eight hours. Two days Monday tenth and Tuesday the eleventh of September 2001. Come midnight on Tuesday it automatically resets back to the beginning of Monday. You as a team, will live within that time bubble.

15) Also, if time has a habit of fixing itself, are changes really that worrisome? The idea would imply there may be other forces at work, doesn't it? So what are they or am I reading too much into the Kennedy experience?
Foster does mention that with small changes time can fix itself. I think time is the major force at work. As in with the Kennedy assassination time had other options available.

16) So we finally have confirmation that Kramer's team is bad news. Letting Hitler take over? I shudder at the thought of how that would alter the present. He was trying to cleanse the genetic pallet. Just imagine how many would have died. I have to ask, couldn't this have ended up with Maddy and Sal never existing to save (I believe this is called the grandfather paradox)? This made me think going back so far in time to utilize Liam might be a good idea. Perhaps he could have remained in the future even after a big change because he'd been displaced prior? The question is, could their home base or their equipment have survived? Look what happened to the cell phone.
The cell phone didn’t work because there were no cell towers and satellites to send the signal. The phone itself did survive the change in history because it was in the bubble.

17) Is anyone else incredibly curious as to where the other TimeRiders are? Wouldn't you think it'd be a good idea to know them or have some way of identifying another team if needed? Perhaps they're not far enough into their training for this? Could Foster have lied?
I think this team is the only team there is.

18) Foster's confession that he's only around 27 years old is disturbing. I'm guessing that's why he didn't go back in time with Liam--he's currently too sick. How will this four man (if you count Bob) crew be able to fix history? Will we meet more TimeRiders? Any theories?
Not only is he to sick, but I think the amount of time he has to go back is to much for his system. They have a new clue now, they need to go back further in time. I don’t think they will meet other TimeRiders and I think Hitler will be displaced by Kramer/Haas.

[Yzabel]

Questions and Comments for Chapters 27 - 36

13) It's interesting as far as training exercise goes, but I'd indeed like to see that addressed: if only one history is "correct", and changes to it must be unwound, then it makes sense that this is the only timeline in which TimeRiders start training... and it makes less sense that they're not tripping over each other trying to complete that exercise. I admit that's one of the things that made me go "hmm..."—the other being "why is Sal not affected, although she's out of the bubble?"

14) I think they don't see multiple versions of themselves because the bubble/time loop they're in resets every two days. Time flows normally for them inside their little HQ (Monday & Tuesday n°1, then M & T n°2, etc.), but whatever happens outside, gets reset, including their own forays in the external world. But that's my way of understanding it. It's true that it should be better explained.

15) I think the JFK experience plays on the conspiracy theory: that of Oswald being only one of the people involved, and that if one of them were to fail, another sniper would do the job. Many other events may not have the same setting, and there would be no "second attempt" to rely on. Although there's still a flaw in this: in the JFK event, once history corrects itself, shouldn't Maddy and Sal (in 2001) see slightly different reports, like the marksman not having fired from the school book depository, but from another place?

16) Yep, looks like the help-Germany-win-the-war hypothesis was the right one. Well, it was either that one or killing Hitler, I guess. And your question joins mine again: why does Sal still exist? Maddy I can understand, being inside the HQ, but Sal was outside when the shift occurred; I half-expected her to pop out of existence.
On the other hand, it does make Liam's role more important: I agree with you that he could remain even after such a big change, since he came from before, and a change in 1941+ wouldn't have affected his 16-year-old self from 1912 anyway.
I don't know about their home base. It must be protected in some way... being out of time, or something... but how? Was this explained, and I just missed it?

17) At this point, I'm starting to question the existence of other teams, indeed. I'd easily imagine a team stationed in 2011, another in 1981... Why haven't they corrected the shift? Is it that they can't, or is it something that is yet to appear in further chapters? (I'm not reading further than the planned chapters for the day; if I do, my theories and remarks are going to be tinged by such reading.)
At first I thought maybe each time had an allocated time/space frame, in which they're allowed to act, and can't intervene in other eras/places. But with Foster's team having to go back to 1951 and even further, this idea may not be the right one.

18) My guess is the same as yours. He can't go back anymore, because if he does, his body will break down, and right now, the crisis is too important for him to leave Maddy and Sal (and Liam and Bob when they come back) alone to face it. Even though he can't travel, he can at least advise them, while if he goes, he may just dies on arrival, and be useless.
Re: 17), I really, really want to know more about other teams.

[Renee]

Questions and Comments for Chapters 16 - 26

7)We have Time Travel. Artificial in vitro units and computers inserted into brain cells. Terminator much? Maybe that's why Liam's last name is O'Connor?
And the Terminator reference in the book.

8)So Sal is an observer and Maddie the analyst. What did you think about the training? And what will be Liam's talent? Maybe it has to do with him saving the mother and child and risking his own life to make sure nobody else was on the deck?
Got a bit carried away and read further, so my "educated" guess is, they have someone to watch for changes, someone to work out where the change happened and operate the computers and timemachine, so they must need Liam to actually travel through time and be the field agent.

9) What do you think is Kramer's mission? I confess as soon as I saw 1941 the first thought was Oh now, they going to kill Einstein. Maybe changing something that causes Germany to win the war?
I was guessing kill Hitler, not sure what they are trying to fix though or why they think this will help.

10)The book so far seems a little unfair to the TimeRiders. OK, so they would be dead if not for the mission. But reliving the same day over and over, seeing always the same things? Liam having to be completely under water when his biggest fear is to drown?
Groundhog Day....
50 first dates.....

11)So they saved president Kennedy. For now. I may be over analyzing it but that doesn't sound a "little change" to me. Who knows what the effects can be? Any theories?
This was a training exercise though, so they would want to make a bigger change so that the observer will get an obvious idea of what to look for, since no one is with her to point it out, and easier for the analyst to track down.

12)100 pages into the book. What do you think about the writing style and world building?
Enjoying it. Easy YA style. Short chapters keep me engaged. Got carried away and read past the place I meant to stop, so that is a good sign.

Reminds me a little of the Magic Treehouse series I'm reading with my kids, teaching a bit of history to kids in a fun package.

[Renee]

Questions and Comments for Chapters 27 - 36

13) So I find it interesting that they use the Kennedy assassination as a standard training exercise which implies they use it often. Wouldn't that mean they'd run into other trainees who had attempted or done the same thing? While I liked the ripple affect we see and the scant amount of world building associated with that change, I want to know why the TimeRiders notice the said changes? What makes them immune to it all? Could it be that since they were from the future, the ripple effect would take a while to grab hold of them and alter their memories? I wish this was explained.
Time travel does my head in if I actually try to understand it, I just go with whatever rules the author makes up.
Maybe they notice the ripple because they are not from that timeline.

14) Also, why wouldn't they see themselves in the same places they frequent day after day on the same day? I'm a touch confused. Shouldn't they see multiple versions of themselves? I feel like I'm seeing rips in the fabric of the story. It feels more like Groundhog Day than TimeRiding or time travel. If they'd mentioned a time loop or something of the sort I might be satisfied, but I don't recall any explanation.
It hasn't been explained, but I assume there is some sort of time loop set up in their office.
I was getting Groundhog day flashes too, and 50 first dates, but that was amnesia not time travel.

15) Also, if time has a habit of fixing itself, are changes really that worrisome? The idea would imply there may be other forces at work, doesn't it? So what are they or am I reading too much into the Kennedy experience?
I think little things may heal themselves - don't stress about stepping ona butterfly.

16) So we finally have confirmation that Kramer's team is bad news. Letting Hitler take over? I shudder at the thought of how that would alter the present. He was trying to cleanse the genetic pallet. Just imagine how many would have died. I have to ask, couldn't this have ended up with Maddy and Sal never existing to save (I believe this is called the grandfather paradox)? This made me think going back so far in time to utilize Liam might be a good idea. Perhaps he could have remained in the future even after a big change because he'd been displaced prior? The question is, could their home base or their equipment have survived? Look what happened to the cell phone.
YA science fiction keeps it a bit simpler. Just roll with it.

17) Is anyone else incredibly curious as to where the other TimeRiders are? Wouldn't you think it'd be a good idea to know them or have some way of identifying another team if needed? Perhaps they're not far enough into their training for this? Could Foster have lied? Maybe they are based in different countries.

18) Foster's confession that he's only around 27 years old is disturbing. I'm guessing that's why he didn't go back in time with Liam--he's currently too sick. How will this four man (if you count Bob) crew be able to fix history? Will we meet more TimeRiders? Any theories?
With teamwork. I think they will meet the "bad guys". Maybe run into more Timeriders in another book, there are a few in this series.

[Sharon]

13) I tried not to over think this as I always struggle with time travel concepts but I have really enjoyed this book. I suspect that it may be that because they are technically dead on their own time line that it is something to do with existing in parallel dimensions instead. Therefore thinking of the concept of time a multi dimensional rather than linear could explain this

14) I think it did say that where they exist is a time loop (early on in the book) a bit like groundhog day so the two days they exist in just repeat and the time riding comes in when they step of that bubble

15) I think that maybe you are reading too much into the Kennedy experience and because that who situation (in real life) is embroiled in conspiracy theories about who actually shot Kennedy it’s a convenient real life story line for the author to use as a demonstration and that other historical changes may not necessarily fix themselves in this way hence the need for time riders

17)He could have lied, we may meet them in another book or they may exist in a parallel dimension not in this one!

[Clare]

Questions and Comments for Chapters 16 - 26

7)We have Time Travel. Artificial in vitro units and computers inserted into brain cells. Terminator much? Maybe that's why Liam's last name is O'Connor?

It reminds me of a different film but I don't know what it is where everyone is in big test tubes of water?

8)So Sal is an observer and Maddie the analyst. What did you think about the training? And what will be Liam's talent? Maybe it has to do with him saving the mother and child and risking his own life to make sure nobody else was on the deck?

Did I miss the training? I don't think they had much did they? How on earth are they going to work out where they are in history. Perhaps Liam is there to ultimately save the inventors wife and child?


9) What do you think is Kramer's mission? I confess as soon as I saw 1941 the first thought was Oh now, they going to kill Einstein. Maybe changing something that causes Germany to win the war?

I hope not as that would have massive implications but it would be interesting

10)The book so far seems a little unfair to the TimeRiders. OK, so they would be dead if not for the mission. But reliving the same day over and over, seeing always the same things? Liam having to be completely under water when his biggest fear is to drown?

Yes - but I suppose they are not dead which is better than they could have had. Fancy making them relive 9/11 - surely they could have just put them in the middle of nowhere and then no-one would have noticed anything anyway

11)So they saved president Kennedy. For now. I may be over analyzing it but that doesn't sound a "little change" to me. Who knows what the effects can be? Any theories?

No, I was thinking exactly the same thing - it is massive. And how are they going to change it back and catch up on all the waves that have gone out of their change? This is where it feels a bit childish to me as they have picked a big part of history - perhaps so that children know about it?

12)100 pages into the book. What do you think about the writing style and world building?

I think it is easy to read which is good but perhaps a bit too childish as they have picked very obvious historical moments so far. World-building is good, I have got a good idea what everything looks like and it is interesting.

[Sonia]

Questions and Comments for Chapters 37 - 49

19)It seems like a little detail. But they shop, go to restaurants and do laundry. How? They need money for hat right?

20)Liam O'Connor is my friend
That was interesting. More so that against all odds, Bob decided to skip all three windows and rescue Liam. What do you think of this outcome?

21)So Hitler died and Kramer is the new leather. That's a scary though. A bit predictable, don't you think?

22)Isn't ironic that it was the trip to the past that caused the erasing of history?

23)That voice on Kramer's head is disturbing. They destroyed the world. Without power, there is no time bubble. How they will get Liam and Bob back?

[Yzabel]

Questions and Comments for Chapters 37 - 49

19) I wondered about that, too. I know this is probably part of the trivial little details people aren't interested in, but I find them too blatant nevertheless. Probably because *I don't have money to go to restaurants IRL, so I always wonder where characters do find it! Do they have a secret stash somewhere? Rob a bank right before the reset because it won't matter anyway?

20) I liked the "Liam is my friend" part. It ties well into concepts I like seeing developed when AIs are involved, a.k.a. can they go further than a bunch of processors governed by the same old algorithms, or can they evolve and develop human-like features, feelings included? I definitely hope this will be addressed at some point.

21) Yeah, I could sense it coming as soon as they said "what if The Führer and Hitler aren't the same person?" I could easily envision Kramer as first helping Hitler win, then have him make him his "successor" (as I said in a previous post, Göring hadn't been appointed yet as that—I think it was in June 1941, not April?), and discreetly offing it at some point.

22) Ironic, but interesting, and finally starting to really illustrate the problems of time travel and potential paradoxes. Now, I do want to see if Sal is still alive, since she was out (again) when the shift happened. And if yes, how the author will explain thath, because it's kinda big stuff, even bigger than the Nazi-won-the-war part.

23) I hope they do have a spare-spare generator or something, or they're screwed... or doomed to waiting for Liam and Bob to act on their side of time, but since the destruction of the world already happened in 1956, I can't really see how they'd manage this.
I'm more disturbed by Kramer's logics here. Did the guy turned batshine insane? I could understand his "let's unite the world, using Hitler and WWII at first, to avoid it turning into the overpopulated crapsack I saw in 2066"; it's villainy stuff, but it's still logical. Now, destroying the world so that nobody could find out when exactly he went back in time to change the world to that he could save it (in his view)? That's WTF and mind-boggling.

[Clare]

Questions and Comments for Chapters 27 - 36

13) So I find it interesting that they use the Kennedy assassination as a standard training exercise which implies they use it often. Wouldn't that mean they'd run into other trainees who had attempted or done the same thing? While I liked the ripple affect we see and the scant amount of world building associated with that change, I want to know why the TimeRiders notice the said changes? What makes them immune to it all? Could it be that since they were from the future, the ripple effect would take a while to grab hold of them and alter their memories? I wish this was explained.

It's all a bit odd. I find there are a lot of unanswered questions which is a bit convenient. Maybe they are apart from the world and so their memories don't get changed.

14) Also, why wouldn't they see themselves in the same places they frequent day after day on the same day? I'm a touch confused. Shouldn't they see multiple versions of themselves? I feel like I'm seeing rips in the fabric of the story. It feels more like Groundhog Day than TimeRiding or time travel. If they'd mentioned a time loop or something of the sort I might be satisfied, but I don't recall any explanation.

Didn't they say something about a time loop at the beginning. I can't believe that every time Sal goes out into New York she doesn't alter history even in a small way. Surely by having a conversation with the old lady she is changing history somehow? I feel like I want a bit more explaining. At the moment I am just taking the story at face value which I guess is what makes it a young person's book.

15) Also, if time has a habit of fixing itself, are changes really that worrisome? The idea would imply there may be other forces at work, doesn't it? So what are they or am I reading too much into the Kennedy experience?

Time changed itself in Kennedy situation because in the past there was always another shooter on the grassy knoll but I guess for the other situations there was no back up situation.

16) So we finally have confirmation that Kramer's team is bad news. Letting Hitler take over? I shudder at the thought of how that would alter the present. He was trying to cleanse the genetic pallet. Just imagine how many would have died. I have to ask, couldn't this have ended up with Maddy and Sal never existing to save (I believe this is called the grandfather paradox)? This made me think going back so far in time to utilize Liam might be a good idea. Perhaps he could have remained in the future even after a big change because he'd been displaced prior? The question is, could their home base or their equipment have survived? Look what happened to the cell phone.

Yes true. They have a lot of technology in their base which wouldn't have existed if there was no mobile phone technology. I am interested to see the changes that have happened based on Hitler winning. I like the way they said that everyone was in grey suits with Nazi armbands on, I could see this could have happened.

17) Is anyone else incredibly curious as to where the other TimeRiders are? Wouldn't you think it'd be a good idea to know them or have some way of identifying another team if needed? Perhaps they're not far enough into their training for this? Could Foster have lied?

I think all the other Timeriders have died as Foster will eventually. He keeps bringing a new team in when the other team dies from this excelerated old age that he was talking about.

18) Foster's confession that he's only around 27 years old is disturbing. I'm guessing that's why he didn't go back in time with Liam--he's currently too sick. How will this four man (if you count Bob) crew be able to fix history? Will we meet more TimeRiders? Any theories?

I guess he is assuming Maddy will take over from him as she is the only one that he has told.

[Imke]

Questions and Comments for Chapters 37 – 49

19)It seems like a little detail. But they shop, go to restaurants and do laundry. How? They need money for hat right?
They do, I was wondering about that too. Maybe they have a stash somewhere.

20)Liam O'Connor is my friend
That was interesting. More so that against all odds, Bob decided to skip all three windows and rescue Liam. What do you think of this outcome?
It might be the little bit of human brain Bob has left over, I think that was why Forster said it was important that Bob bonded first with Liam, because he is going to be his time travel partner. I think that’s most important that their bond is strong.

21)So Hitler died and Kramer is the new leather. That's a scary though. A bit predictable, don't you think?
Yeah it was a bit predictable.

22)Isn't ironic that it was the trip to the past that caused the erasing of history?
Not the erasing of history, the end of the world as we know it. I think history from before the end still exists and Liam can still go back in time so save the day.

23)That voice on Kramer's head is disturbing. They destroyed the world. Without power, there is no time bubble. How they will get Liam and Bob back?
Maybe Bob has a time travel thingy in his brain and he can make them go back to save the world. That voice is very disturbing, maybe he has a seeker in his head???

[Renee]

Questions and Comments for Chapters 37 - 49

19)It seems like a little detail. But they shop, go to restaurants and do laundry. How? They need money for hat right?
Secret agency would have secret stash of money.

20)Liam O'Connor is my friend
That was interesting. More so that against all odds, Bob decided to skip all three windows and rescue Liam. What do you think of this outcome?
Humanity over riding AI within Bob. Makes him a more likable character instead of a machine.

21)So Hitler died and Kramer is the new leather. That's a scary though. A bit predictable, don't you think?
I actually hadn't put that one together before I read it, then thought "of course" as soon as it was clear.

22)Isn't ironic that it was the trip to the past that caused the erasing of history?
Erasing of the record of history, done on purpose to try to stop the Timeriders finding out how they changed the course of history.

23)That voice on Kramer's head is disturbing. They destroyed the world. Without power, there is no time bubble. How they will get Liam and Bob back?
Not sure what will happen. They will get back somehow I'm sure (or it wouldn't be a very good story if everyone dies), intrigued to find out how.

[Clare]

Questions and Comments for Chapters 37 - 49

19)It seems like a little detail. But they shop, go to restaurants and do laundry. How? They need money for that right?

Yes, little details and questions that don't get answered. I find it a bit frustrating but the rest of the story is brilliant so I'll forgive the author!

20)Liam O'Connor is my friend
That was interesting. More so that against all odds, Bob decided to skip all three windows and rescue Liam. What do you think of this outcome?

I think it's lovely that we are seeing that Bob has a personality and the ability to care for a human being, rather than just being a machine.

21)So Hitler died and Kramer is the new leather. That's a scary though. A bit predictable, don't you think?

Yes, I hadn't predicted that so that was a good surprise. I had wondered what had happened to him.

22)Isn't ironic that it was the trip to the past that caused the erasing of history?

Kramer decided to erase history because of the timeriders didn't he. And of course later in this bit he decides to destroy the world. I can't believe you could actually destroy history, there must be a record of it somewhere.

23)That voice on Kramer's head is disturbing. They destroyed the world. Without power, there is no time bubble. How they will get Liam and Bob back?

That voice is weird. Is it really his inner self or is something else influencing him? Could it be a seeker? If they haven't got electricity nothing works does it? How on earth are they going to get them back?

[Lisarenee]

Questions and Comments for Chapters 50 - 58

24) So I have to admit, I was so engrossed in the story, I read ahead a bit and didn't realize it. What I thought would happen did--the bubble burst and so did their machinery. What did you think of the second time shift from Kramer's takeover? What did you make of the cannibals? Anyone else surprised that all the TimeRiders from the future are still around? What about Bob? Will his technology fail? So far he seems fine.

25) Bob is definitely giving off a Terminator vibe. Sonia you had that one nailed early on. Do you like it when an author uses something from one of their favorite movies or books? When done right (ie not overdoing it), I always feel it's an author's way of paying tribute to those that came before them whose work they loved. What are your thoughts on Bob and his terminator resemblance?

26) Liam is definitely collecting a lot of information and zeroing in on where the change took place. I wonder if Bob managed to figure out the date they should go back to like Liam?

27) Anyone else curious of just what time period Foster is from and who exactly he is? Where are all the other TimeRiders and what about the department they supposedly work for?

28) So you go back in time and take over the world. Then what do you do? You destroy your time machine, really? Would anyone else have done that? I'm surprised he didn't want to travel back and see what changes his handiwork had reaped.

[Clare]

Questions and Comments for Chapters 50 - 58

24) So I have to admit, I was so engrossed in the story, I read ahead a bit and didn't realize it. What I thought would happen did--the bubble burst and so did their machinery. What did you think of the second time shift from Kramer's takeover? What did you make of the cannibals? Anyone else surprised that all the TimeRiders from the future are still around? What about Bob? Will his technology fail? So far he seems fine.

I was really surprised that Kramer wanted to destroy the world. That's an interesting twist as I thought the story was going to be just to get him and prevent Germany winning the war. I' very surprised they're all still around - especially Sal. I guess they are apart from the world.

25) Bob is definitely giving off a Terminator vibe. Sonia you had that one nailed early on. Do you like it when an author uses something from one of their favorite movies or books? When done right (ie not overdoing it), I always feel it's an author's way of paying tribute to those that came before them whose work they loved. What are your thoughts on Bob and his terminator resemblance?

I like Bob and I like to see that he is getting more human as the book goes on. I haven't watched Terminator so I can't comment on that bit.

26) Liam is definitely collecting a lot of information and zeroing in on where the change took place. I wonder if Bob managed to figure out the date they should go back to like Liam?

I think Bob is totally focused on rescuing Liam isn't he? It's good that Liam has found out the date. I am surprised that he is trusting people with the information about his time traveling. Surely that is a bit risky - if they passed the info on it could be dangerous for him.

27) Anyone else curious of just what time period Foster is from and who exactly he is? Where are all the other TimeRiders and what about the department they supposedly work for?

Yes I'm constantly wondering about the other Timeriders but I still think there aren't any others and that they are all dead and he was the only one that was left to get the new team before he died.

28) So you go back in time and take over the world. Then what do you do? You destroy your time machine, really? Would anyone else have done that? I'm surprised he didn't want to travel back and see what changes his handiwork had reaped.

No, destroying the time machine does seem odd. I think I would want to explore a bit.

[Saxonjus]

Ive scrolled quickly to not read any spoilers!!! Count me in to read this book :)

[Yzabel]

Questions and Comments for Chapters 50 - 58

24) Yes, I'm definiely surprised they're still around. At this point, I'd really like an explanation, even if it were to be something as simple/convenient as "as soon as you get plucked out of your original time, you become impervious to time shifts".
I'm not sure about the cannibals. Are those really the descendants of human beings? Was there really some kind of nuclear apocalypse? (In which case, are 2-3 generations enough to end up in such blatant mutations? I don't know.)

25) I was thinking the same about Bob's Terminator vibe—T2 and T3, that is. Guess it was a good thing they didn't call him Arnold, huh. I tend to like cameos, so it's all OK with me, and it made me smile (and Bob somehow seems more human, cf. when he looks up some Bible quote to answer the people around him, something that is definitely not linked to his mission at all). Also, the superman/superhero reference. I wonder if Kramer managed to do the math and understand he was a man-AI from the future (considering he doesn't know about the TimeRiders as an agency, and simply suspected the presence of "other time-travellers"), or if it remained a hunch and a fear rather than solid evidence?

26) I'm not sure, or there would've been some hint, and it would've made things redundant. I think Bob doesn't think the same way Liam does, and so hasn't been able to get the intel (yet): he's focused on finding Liam, freeing other people in the meantime, not on talking extensively and making new friends.
Raymond Panelli strikes me as behaving oddly, too—as if he was keeping Bob apart from the freed prisoners. I can't tell if there's a hidden agenda behind this, or if he just does it because he's the kind of person who'll latch to important people, make himself appear as important as well, act like their manager, etc.

27) So far into the story, I'm really questioning the existence of other TimeRiders. Maybe Foster invented it all, using resources he had access to? Maybe he was in contact with Waldstein and, just like Kramer did (but earlier), he managed to lay his hands on how to build a time machine? I so want answers to that. The non-intervention of other teams is too annoying now, I want explanations, even brief ones.

28) Kramer strikes me as odd on many sides, and this is one of them. But that's from a sane, logical point of view. Considering his actions, though, he's likely under delusions, suffering from acute paranoia (even before travelling in time), and might have destroyed it in the fear someone else would use it to travel and destroy his work? His deciding to destroy the world isn't a normal decision, and I think he's just completely bonkers.

[Clare]

It was so exciting I had to finish it! A brilliant, entertaining read. I can't wait to read the next one!

[Renee]

Questions and Comments for Chapters 50 - 58

24) So I have to admit, I was so engrossed in the story, I read ahead a bit and didn't realize it. What I thought would happen did--the bubble burst and so did their machinery. What did you think of the second time shift from Kramer's takeover? What did you make of the cannibals? Anyone else surprised that all the TimeRiders from the future are still around? What about Bob? Will his technology fail? So far he seems fine.
It's like Terminator meets Zombie Apocolypse during Groundhog Day.
I think Bob will be ok, he doesn't need a source of power, which seems to be the main problem.

25) Bob is definitely giving off a Terminator vibe. Sonia you had that one nailed early on. Do you like it when an author uses something from one of their favorite movies or books? When done right (ie not overdoing it), I always feel it's an author's way of paying tribute to those that came before them whose work they loved. What are your thoughts on Bob and his terminator resemblance?
It makes him easier to realate to, though I keep calling Liam "john" in my head.

26) Liam is definitely collecting a lot of information and zeroing in on where the change took place. I wonder if Bob managed to figure out the date they should go back to like Liam?
I think Bob is focussed on saving Liam first, then finding a way home. I think he is waiting for the next step of the Timerider admin team sending them a massage of next portal opening.

27) Anyone else curious of just what time period Foster is from and who exactly he is? Where are all the other TimeRiders and what about the department they supposedly work for?
I think Foster was from the future, when the time machines were invented.
I want the other timeriders to help.

28) So you go back in time and take over the world. Then what do you do? You destroy your time machine, really? Would anyone else have done that? I'm surprised he didn't want to travel back and see what changes his handiwork had reaped.
I think he is more mad than Hitler was. Why destroy the world? Completely crazy.

[Lisarenee]

Renee said, "It's like Terminator meets Zombie Apocolypse during Groundhog Day."

Ha! I was thinking the same thing, but you forgot to add Millenium into the mix. lol

[Lisarenee]

Renee wrote: "Lisarenee wrote: "Lisa Said,...

1) I, too, am wondering why they chose to bring Liam into the group. The only reason I could come up with is that this is a children's book and the author probably ..."

lol They're great books.

[Lisarenee]

Imke, I meant to thank you for bringing up the passage with the bubble. I remembered they'd explained how they managed to stay within the confines of the two day time span, but I couldn't remember what had been said. I still wish the author had done a time loop, I felt the bubble didn't give us enough explanation. I have to admit, however, it's not an easy concept to explain but I keep thinking of the time loop in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

[Lisa]

so if i were one of these kids right now, i'd be real skeptical about this whole timerider business. like, i'd like to see some credentials or take a visit to the future headquarters. something tells me these "timeriders" are just another renegade group of people like Kramer's group was. somewhere along the lines Foster is gonna mess with time just as badly as Kramer in the name of whatever he feels is righteous and the kids are gonna have to decide for themselves whose side they wanna be on.

my kindle says i have an hour and a half left of reading in the book. hopefully will finish it today.

[Imke]

Questions and Comments for Chapters 50 – 58

24) So I have to admit, I was so engrossed in the story, I read ahead a bit and didn't realize it. What I thought would happen did--the bubble burst and so did their machinery. What did you think of the second time shift from Kramer's takeover? What did you make of the cannibals? Anyone else surprised that all the TimeRiders from the future are still around? What about Bob? Will his technology fail? So far he seems fine.
The second time shift was bound to happen, Kramer is a paranoid….I like the description of the cannibals, this book is full of movie references, even some only adults will recognize (like the Terminator ones). Not surprised the TimeRiders are still around, well I was questioning the presence of Sal, she was outside when the shift happened, but maybe because she is from the future she’s still there? I think Bob’s technology will fail eventually, he seems to be getting along with normal food though, he mentions that he needs protein for regeneration, but that he can get that from food.

25) Bob is definitely giving off a Terminator vibe. Sonia you had that one nailed early on. Do you like it when an author uses something from one of their favorite movies or books? When done right (ie not overdoing it), I always feel it's an author's way of paying tribute to those that came before them whose work they loved. What are your thoughts on Bob and his terminator resemblance?
Well I think he is different from the Terminator, he does a lot to rescue Liam but he seems to want to do it with as little death as possible although he doesn’t think twice about using his “followers” as a shield. I just can’t imagine him with an accent.

26) Liam is definitely collecting a lot of information and zeroing in on where the change took place. I wonder if Bob managed to figure out the date they should go back to like Liam?
Bob hasn’t, but I don’t think that was his primary objective it was Liam’s. Bob’s role is as support for Liam and he is doing that now by trying to rescue him.

27) Anyone else curious of just what time period Foster is from and who exactly he is? Where are all the other TimeRiders and what about the department they supposedly work for?
I keep thinking Foster is Liam, but that’s too weird right? I still think there is only one team of TimeRiders and they are it. That department is very secret, time travel is illegal after all.

28) So you go back in time and take over the world. Then what do you do? You destroy your time machine, really? Would anyone else have done that? I'm surprised he didn't want to travel back and see what changes his handiwork had reaped.
I think destroying the time machine was his only option if he didn’t want anyone following him. His objective was to change the world and I think he didn’t want to go back. In his mind he wanted to “save the world” and now he thinks that it is not possible to save the world and that the “kinder” option is to just destroy it.

[Sonia]

Questions and Comments for Chapters 59 - 70

29)I'm still in shock with the reaction to the assault of Liam's compound. After so many movies about the world war II I shouldn't be, but seeing the soldiers open fire to unarmed prisoners to avoid the rescue still seems unreal. Can you imagine 6 months there? No wonder Liam was losing hope.

30)'Although they look human, you must try not to think of them as such. They're nothing more than meat robots'
And now we have the matrix. Ironic, since it was a meat robot that didn't give up on saving the human on the mission.

31)I am not liking Foster at this point. OK, so that's the all purpose if the support units. But why being so blunt?

32)I had to laugh about the scene of the sigh from the beyond. Desperate times do make people believe in miracles.

33)Liam has to do what? So what is this, kill the support units day? Not to mention the effect it will have on Liam and the reactiion Bob's followers when a little boy cracks open the head of their angel from the beyond.

34)Kramer is losing it. Executing Haas on the spot? I'm wondering if anybody that goes back and alters history will become like that. Maybe that's why Foster is so detached?

35)Not enough power to get Liam back. Not enough detachment on Liam to send Bob's head back. Now what? Even if they're able to get back, how would Liam and Bob be able to stop Kramer's powerful group in order to keep history? This doesn't seem promising

[Renee]

Questions and Comments for Chapters 59 - 70

29)I'm still in shock with the reaction to the assault of Liam's compound. After so many movies about the world war II I shouldn't be, but seeing the soldiers open fire to unarmed prisoners to avoid the rescue still seems unreal. Can you imagine 6 months there? No wonder Liam was losing hope.
I would have been losing hope. Would have been an awful experience.

30)'Although they look human, you must try not to think of them as such. They're nothing more than meat robots'
And now we have the matrix. Ironic, since it was a meat robot that didn't give up on saving the human on the mission.
Still genetically engineered from human tissue so I think Bob still has humanity. Even if his computer self destructed, he would remain alive with the same quality of life as many people with disabilities I have worked with, and they are definately people not bags of meat.

31)I am not liking Foster at this point. OK, so that's the all purpose if the support units. But why being so blunt?
He's mad. i don't like him either.

32)I had to laugh about the scene of the sigh from the beyond. Desperate times do make people believe in miracles.
Troubled times need more hope.

33)Liam has to do what? So what is this, kill the support units day? Not to mention the effect it will have on Liam and the reactiion Bob's followers when a little boy cracks open the head of their angel from the beyond.
I don't think he can do it.

34)Kramer is losing it. Executing Haas on the spot? I'm wondering if anybody that goes back and alters history will become like that. Maybe that's why Foster is so detached?
I don't think anyone who goes back in time will go crazy. I think he was already crazy and extreme to go back to take over the world. Mad scientist world domination.

35)Not enough power to get Liam back. Not enough detachment on Liam to send Bob's head back. Now what? Even if they're able to get back, how would Liam and Bob be able to stop Kramer's powerful group in order to keep history? This doesn't seem promising
But it can't end like this. Something will have to happen to save the day and make a happy ending, but I have no idea what.
Must keep reading. Hooked into the story.

[Yzabel]

Questions and Comments for Chapters 59 - 70

29) It was actually a wonder he was still alive. Anything could have happened to him, especially with that nast camp chief involved (the one who would beat people if they didn't work hard enough). With the whole "time window closed" and "Bob's mission is to retrieve intel, not retrieve me", it sure made things even more awful.

30) Indeed, and those "meat robots" still have brains, although the latter would be severely diminished without the AI inside. I don't really like how Bob (and the others who would've been like him) was so easily dismissed. But that may be because the idea of something non-human growing a human conscience fascinates me, so I'm being partial here?

31) In a way, it's too blunt... But isn't it also because being blunt about it makes it less hard? When Bob tells Liam he has to chop his AI chip(s) off, or at least his head, and bring it back to 2001, we see how Liam chickens out. My guess at that point was that Foster had to do that, too, and toughened himself up. Maybe he saw too many of those "meat robots" grow a conscience, which made it too hard in turn when it comes to losing them—and so he was forced to distanciate himself from them?

32) Yeah, I guess when everything is lost, you believe in anything? I'm not a believer, so I doubt I'd have bought the Messiah-talk... but I'd certainly have started to imagine "Captain Bob" was some super-human of sorts, no doubt.

33) Bob's followers would've dismembered Liam for this, I'm sure. But then, Liam didn't strike me as the kind of guy who'd manage to do that anyway. Not like that, not so soon, at least.

34) Becoming detached, sure—otherwise you would certainly go mad. But Kramer is another morsel IMHO, and I'm still convinced he had that streak of madness in him from the beginning. It just took a few more events to make his paranoid persona go on a rampage. Executing Haas was one more proof that he wasn't sane anymore, if he ever had been.

35) I've finished the book by now, so I know how it ends. But when I reached that part of the story, I thought maybe they could try to send a message to the future—actually, I wondered why they hadn't done so before (probably because only Liam could have such an idea, Bob's AI not being developed enough yet to show such initiative?). They could at least have left a message telling the 2001 team when the timeline had shifted.

Considering there are more books, of course there's going to be a at-leas-somewhat-happy ending. ;) Right?

[Lisa]

In regards to question 35, that's exactly what I was thinking too. They would have saved so much energy if Liam told them when the time shift happened in the guest book and then foster send maddie or sal back to rectify the situation.

[Imke]

Questions and Comments for Chapters 59 – 70

29)I'm still in shock with the reaction to the assault of Liam's compound. After so many movies about the world war II I shouldn't be, but seeing the soldiers open fire to unarmed prisoners to avoid the rescue still seems unreal. Can you imagine 6 months there? No wonder Liam was losing hope.
I wasn’t in shack when that happened, I was surprised. This book is more a children’s book to me than a YA book and I thought it was pretty gruesome for a children’s book. 6 Months in a POW camp is very hard and I think unimaginable for us, no matter how many WWII books I’ve read and how many accounts of people that were in concentration camps, it is still so hard to imagine that people have experienced it and also that there were people capable of doing that to others.

30)'Although they look human, you must try not to think of them as such. They're nothing more than meat robots'
And now we have the matrix. Ironic, since it was a meat robot that didn't give up on saving the human on the mission.
Yes it was ironic, but Foster couldn’t have known that.

31)I am not liking Foster at this point. OK, so that's the all purpose if the support units. But why being so blunt?
I think that’s his way of distancing himself from everything that is happening. I think he doesn’t know what to do with the situation.

32)I had to laugh about the scene of the sigh from the beyond. Desperate times do make people believe in miracles.
Yeah, but those people are very gullible.

33)Liam has to do what? So what is this, kill the support units day? Not to mention the effect it will have on Liam and the reactiion Bob's followers when a little boy cracks open the head of their angel from the beyond.

34)Kramer is losing it. Executing Haas on the spot? I'm wondering if anybody that goes back and alters history will become like that. Maybe that's why Foster is so detached?
Kramer has just lost it. I don’t think everyone has that problem, Haas didn’t seem to have any problems. Kramer had mental issues before the time travel, he mentions that the voice he was hearing helped him when he was growing up, that it was the voice of his ambition. He does bring to mind the guy who first invented the time travel machine. He was also talking about setting foot in hell, maybe Kramer has been reading to much in his old mentor’s notebook.

35)Not enough power to get Liam back. Not enough detachment on Liam to send Bob's head back. Now what? Even if they're able to get back, how would Liam and Bob be able to stop Kramer's powerful group in order to keep history? This doesn't seem promising
They will find a way to save the day, I’m sure of it.

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

Sonia put the following together for us. A sort of quick look back at what was covered:

Some Pictures

Titanic


New York 2001


2066 (especulation picture terminator based)


Dallas 1963


The Eagle's Nest, Germany


Museum of Natural history



The first is the usual uroboros, but I liked the second more because it vaguely reminds me of the celtic trinity symbol.

Uroboros

[Lisarenee]

Questions and Comments for Chapter 32 - end

36) We left hanging with little to no information about Foster. Anyone else a little upset? His comment at the end to Maddy made me think we haven't seen the last of him. Perhaps we'll meet a younger version of him? What do you think?

37) It sounds like Foster gave Maddy the ins and outs of the operation. Were you as disappointed as I was that we still have no clue? Where does all the modern technology (like the replacement tubes and artificial fetuses) come from? Are there more Riders? Who controls it all and why didn't they get to meet them?

38) Foster said they can grow a clone of Bob. Can they program him into the brain of the next AI guy? Do you think his personality (what little he acquired) will be altered in any way?

39) The out of the bubble question was answered although I think I may have more questions now. lol Anything bothering you about how things played out in that respect? I still say if Sal was out of the bubble, then she should have disappeared as if she was never born when the last (end of the world) shift hit.

40) Is anyone else upset that no one told Liam his aging will be accelerated by time traveling? It sounds like he already aged with this last trip at least from what Sal wrote.

41) Did they ever explain how they were able to get enough energy to retrieve Liam and Bob and then transport them back in time? I admit I rushed through this section a bit. I still can't believe Liam was able to cut out Bob's unit. *Shudder* I don't think I could have.

42) So what were your overall thoughts on the author's portrayal of the time traveling? Were you satisfied with the way it played out or did you think he left much to be explained? If the latter, did it take away from your reading enjoyment?

43) What was your overall rating of the book? Did you like the ending?

44) Do you wish to participate in a buddy read of the second book of the series?

[Lisa]

36) I'm very upset that we're left with no info on Foster. I have to say I don't plan on reading the rest of the series so I looked it up on Wikipedia and Foster's character turns out to be amazing! Plot twists and such. I wish the author could have hinted at this at least a little bit in this first book.

37) Yup, I too am disappointed that none of this was explained. Give us just a little bit, author, stop teasing.

38) I had a hard time treating Bob like a human, at least not as much as Liam did. So I'm not concerned about Bob's AI. If they make a clone of him and are able to transfer his previous AI, then great. Liam will be happy.

39) I don't ask too many questions regarding the time shift. Things reverted back to normal. I have to just accept it or else I would ponder too many alternate theories.

40) True, it does sound like Liam aged a bit much. I wonder if telling him will do any good. If they told him, and he didn't approve, would they let him leave the bubble and live a life in the 21st century?

41) I skipped over that a bit too.

42) The author left too much to be explained. Like I said in my review, the author spent so much time describing what was going on in the world that he didn't do enough actual world building. We know nothing about where these Timeriders come from or why they do what they do. You need to grab your series readers from the first book, and I'm just too confused to care anymore.

43) 1/5 stars

44) No thank you.

[Yzabel]

Questions and Comments for Chapter 72 - end

36) Well, considering his way of speaking at the very end... (view spoiler)[I think we have already met his younger version: he damn well sounded like Liam, don't you think? Maybe he is Liam, grown all old from his travels? Although, if my hypothesis is right, then I seriously want to know WHY some Big Time Paradox Backlash o' Doom hasn't hit him yet. Unless his growing old faster is a kind of paradox-related effect? (hide spoiler)]

37) I think it was a way of avoiding boring technobabble/info-dump, but it still feels like a cop-out. I would've wanted to know more about this technology, if only to have answers to my many questions about potential paradox effects and the likes. It may also be information kept for the next books, but I'm not satisfied. I guess I'd have like more explanations and a less ambitious plot for this first novel in the series, so that I'd know how things work in that world, instead of always wondering about this or that plot/building hole.

38) As long as part of his brain is computerised, I guess they could transfer his Bob-persona into it? Or at least part of it.

39) I agree with this. Her still existing when her parents could never have been born just felt impossible. Which is why (as I have mentioned in a previous post) I would've liked to see better explanations.

40) Yes and now. (view spoiler)[If my hypothesis in 36) is right, then maybe Foster/Liam doesn't want Maddy to tell young!Liam yet because there might be a few more trips he needs to do before being ready for The Truth—something that hasn't happened yet, during another travel in time, and if young!Liam knew of his condition before that, he'd give up on travelling? I don't think Maddy's aware of that, though, so while Foster might have good reason, she doesn't. Unless she's just too chicken to tell Liam yet? (hide spoiler)]

41) I wondered about that, too. I felt that, as we were reaching the conclusion, the author had a page quota within which to remain, and had to jump from one scene to the other. With Bob back to save the day, maybe they managed to secure more fuel, only it was never mentioned... which was odd in any case.

42) Too much was left to be explained IMHO. Time travel is definitely one of the trickiest subjects in SF, at least the way I see it, and you just can't get away with it like you could with other aspects. (Not that I'd consider SF as a "LOL I don't care if it doesn't make sense because it's just fiction" genre. But I suppose that an author doesn't HAVE to describe how exactly a spaceship functions if said ship isn't a core part of the plot. On the other hand, here, time travel IS the core of the plot, so nothing can be left to chance, and every single thing should make sense.)

And yes, it impeded my enjoyment of the story, since I was always wondering about it and feeling frustrated about not having the answers.

43) 1.5 stars. Rounded to 2 on GR because it still wasn't the worst book I've read this year, and bonus points for no stupid romance thrown in just because it sells. (I'm seriously tired of romance for the sake of romance; YA books are plagued with it, even when their plots call for everything BUT romance.)

44) I'm not sure. Only if book 2 starts bringing in the answers, I guess, and shows me that the world-building was better worked on behind the scenes than book 1 led me to believe.

[Imke]

Questions and Comments for Chapter 32 - end

36) We left hanging with little to no information about Foster. Anyone else a little upset? His comment at the end to Maddy made me think we haven't seen the last of him. Perhaps we'll meet a younger version of him? What do you think?
I don't think we have seen the last of him, but I still think Foster is the older version of Liam.

37) It sounds like Foster gave Maddy the ins and outs of the operation. Were you as disappointed as I was that we still have no clue? Where does all the modern technology (like the replacement tubes and artificial fetuses) come from? Are there more Riders? Who controls it all and why didn't they get to meet them?
I don't know where all the parts come from, .maybe the future. I don't think there are more Riders. There is probably a higher up, but I don't think we will meet him/her in the nest book.

38) Foster said they can grow a clone of Bob. Can they program him into the brain of the next AI guy? Do you think his personality (what little he acquired) will be altered in any way?
I think they are going to use the experiences of Bob to program the next meat robot. I'm not sure if his personality will be altered, I don't think he had a lot of personality.

39) The out of the bubble question was answered although I think I may have more questions now. lol Anything bothering you about how things played out in that respect? I still say if Sal was out of the bubble, then she should have disappeared as if she was never born when the last (end of the world) shift hit.
I don't know, not a lot is explained in the book and I don't really mind.

40) Is anyone else upset that no one told Liam his aging will be accelerated by time traveling? It sounds like he already aged with this last trip at least from what Sal wrote.
I think he'll find out soon enough. I just feel sorry for him that he is going to age as fast as he is now.

41) Did they ever explain how they were able to get enough energy to retrieve Liam and Bob and then transport them back in time? I admit I rushed through this section a bit. I still can't believe Liam was able to cut out Bob's unit. *Shudder* I don't think I could have.
They made sure of making the window as close as possible to the land site and that would use less energy. I did wonder how they send Liam and Bob back again. Maybe it takes less energy sending then receiving?

42) So what were your overall thoughts on the author's portrayal of the time traveling? Were you satisfied with the way it played out or did you think he left much to be explained? If the latter, did it take away from your reading enjoyment?
I did like the book, but I felt it was lacking in information about how things came about and the author skated over some issues. Also I would have liked a bit more story from the last few chapters, he spend an awful lot of time how horrible everything was in 1957 and in 2001 after the world ended, but the solution felt rushed.

43) What was your overall rating of the book? Did you like the ending?
I rated the book 2 stars, I did like the book, but I feel there is something missing. The ending was expected, but I would have liked a bit more story it was over in a second.

44) Do you wish to participate in a buddy read of the second book of the series?
Maybe, if I have time I will certainly participate in a BR of the second book. I do like the idea of these time travelling kids.

[Lisarenee]

Imke said, "but I still think Foster is the older version of Liam."

That would be a cool twist, but I wonder why he'd change his name and how he could grab himself?

[Zonnah]

Renee wrote: "Zonnah wrote: "Lisa wrote: " Reading between the two groups of people doesn't bother me. I've read Game of Thrones."

I was thinking the same thing."

Me too.
Yes Zonnah, I followed you here....."

:)

[Renee]

Questions and Comments for Chapter 32 - end

36) We left hanging with little to no information about Foster. Anyone else a little upset? His comment at the end to Maddy made me think we haven't seen the last of him. Perhaps we'll meet a younger version of him? What do you think?
I think he will be an ongoing chatacter through out the series, but not with them all the time.

37) It sounds like Foster gave Maddy the ins and outs of the operation. Were you as disappointed as I was that we still have no clue? Where does all the modern technology (like the replacement tubes and artificial fetuses) come from? Are there more Riders? Who controls it all and why didn't they get to meet them?
I think all the unanswered questions are meant to inspire you to keep reading the series to find out more. They have access to a large amount of money and 2001 technology, no reason they can't travel into the future to purchase more modern technology.

38) Foster said they can grow a clone of Bob. Can they program him into the brain of the next AI guy? Do you think his personality (what little he acquired) will be altered in any way?
I think Bob was a new AI chip as the previous one had been destroyed with the previous team. I would assume that when Bob's AI chip is inserted into a new clone body, the he would pick up where he left off.

39) The out of the bubble question was answered although I think I may have more questions now. lol Anything bothering you about how things played out in that respect? I still say if Sal was out of the bubble, then she should have disappeared as if she was never born when the last (end of the world) shift hit.
I've just put this book into the middle grade fiction category in my head so I don't get too bothered when everything isn't explained in as much detail as my adult brain would like.

40) Is anyone else upset that no one told Liam his aging will be accelerated by time traveling? It sounds like he already aged with this last trip at least from what Sal wrote.
He had at least aged 6 months from the last trip because he had lived 6 months in the past. It doesn't seem fair to not tell him all the risks.

41) Did they ever explain how they were able to get enough energy to retrieve Liam and Bob and then transport them back in time? I admit I rushed through this section a bit. I still can't believe Liam was able to cut out Bob's unit. *Shudder* I don't think I could have.
I know they had found quite a bit of diesel and hadn't been able to carry it all back the first time, so maybe they went back for more.

42) So what were your overall thoughts on the author's portrayal of the time traveling? Were you satisfied with the way it played out or did you think he left much to be explained? If the latter, did it take away from your reading enjoyment?
I've been reading the magic treehouse series with my kids. It's explaination for time travel is "magic". Timeriders is aimed at an older audience and is more scientific. I think it was appropriate for the target audience. I try to keep the target audience in mind while reading, so I don't get frustrated.

43) What was your overall rating of the book? Did you like the ending?
I gave it 3. I liked it.

44) Do you wish to participate in a buddy read of the second book of the series?
Maybe, but I have lots of other books on my list.

[Kelly]

Finally got it from the library.

Questions and Comments for Chapters 1 - 15

1) So I got a feeling of déjà vu with this one as I recalled the movie Millenium from 1989. In it, people are rescued from a plane crash and other fatal tragedies so they can help repopulate a dying world. Not exactly the same as this book, but I always thought the idea of snatching someone up before a tragedy was a brilliant one so the movie stuck. What did you think of the rescues? I'm still scratching my head as to why they took someone from the Titanic. In a modern world, what kind of skill set could they possibly bring to the table?
Hrm. They said that they were picked due to specific skills. I'd almost guess that if they have to travel to random points in time that it'd be useful to have people spread out among the timeline so there's someone with an idea of how to act. I assume they also made sure that the body of the person would have never been recovered either.

2) I don't know about anyone else, but I love the thought of time travel, but I always wondered who concocted all the "dangers" (Was it HG Wells?) that are associated with it. There's the danger of preventing one's own birth, the danger of changing one's own future, the danger changing the world's future and the danger of meeting one's own self and creating a time conundrum which would cause all sorts of problems perhaps even creating a rip in time. That last one always had me wondering. What aspects of time travel do you like? What do you think would pose the biggest problem?
I've always thought that it would just split off a different probability line. I do like the system they present in continuum the TV show. Time travel TV shows are hilarious because at any point they can randomly introduce new players or bring people back to life.

3) So they're snatching people who are virtually unknown to be TimeRiders. How did they get all the information on these people? I'd think obtaining specific records from the age of the Titanic would be difficult. Any ideas on how he's choosing the teams? Who would you snatch from history for a team if you could? I keep thinking they should have picked Amelia Earhart.
You probably wouldn't want anyone real known so people wouldn't notice them then again maybe they picked Elvis so that's why there's all the Elvis sightings :). I wonder if there's a practical reason they're all kids, other than the YA book factor. I'm guessing they went back in time to spy on them or used some sort of peeking system for it.

4) So the inventor of the time machine created it to say goodbye to his wife and child. If he'd saved them before their last moments, how would that have been different from snatching people from time to police it? Would you have been able to go back in time to say goodbye to your family and not save them? Hopefully, we'll find out why the inventor so strongly believed this to be true. Could something have happened?
I think the thing is that the TimeRiders don't interact with any of the timelines. So you could save them if they had been destroyed so no one knew. But think of this, if the only reason he made the time machine was to see them, and if they lived he wouldn't need to do that it creates a big loop.

5) It looks like their are two sets of individuals to be following--the TimeRiders under Foster's care and the ones plotting to steal the time machine under Kramer's command. Are you having any trouble keeping the two separate? Do you think they'll end up fighting against each other or do you think they'll end up working for the same side? Thoughts? I'm guessing they'll be going up against one another.
It's not real hard to keep apart at this point except I can't bring myself to care much what Kramer's doing right now.

6) So has the author pulled you into the story and caught your attention yet? What intrigues you most at this point?
I like it so far. I assume they're waiting for some type of event. I'm not sure why they don't have a home base in some uninhabited area. Plus our location in the universe changes over time even if we're on the same space on the earth so there must be some sort of link or location travel involved as well.

[Zonnah]

I was out of town, so now I am playing catch up. :)
Questions and Comments for Chapters 16 - 26

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7)We have Time Travel. Artificial in vitro units and computers inserted into brain cells. Terminator much? Maybe that's why Liam's last name is O'Connor?

I think the author is a fan. :)

8)So Sal is an observer and Maddie the analyst. What did you think about the training? And what will be Liam's talent? Maybe it has to do with him saving the mother and child and risking his own life to make sure nobody else was on the deck?

I would think there would be more in depth learning about time travel first.

9) What do you think is Kramer's mission? I confess as soon as I saw 1941 the first thought was Oh now, they going to kill Einstein. Maybe changing something that causes Germany to win the war?

10)The book so far seems a little unfair to the TimeRiders. OK, so they would be dead if not for the mission. But reliving the same day over and over, seeing always the same things? Liam having to be completely under water when his biggest fear is to drown?

I would rather have the TimeRider life than dieing.

11)So they saved president Kennedy. For now. I may be over analyzing it but that doesn't sound a "little change" to me. Who knows what the effects can be? Any theories?

12)100 pages into the book. What do you think about the writing style and world building?

I am liking it and it is defiantly drawing me in.
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Questions and Comments for Chapters 27 - 36
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13) So I find it interesting that they use the Kennedy assassination as a standard training exercise which implies they use it often. Wouldn't that mean they'd run into other trainees who had attempted or done the same thing? While I liked the ripple affect we see and the scant amount of world building associated with that change, I want to know why the TimeRiders notice the said changes? What makes them immune to it all? Could it be that since they were from the future, the ripple effect would take a while to grab hold of them and alter their memories? I wish this was explained.

Good question?

14) Also, why wouldn't they see themselves in the same places they frequent day after day on the same day? I'm a touch confused. Shouldn't they see multiple versions of themselves? I feel like I'm seeing rips in the fabric of the story. It feels more like Groundhog Day than TimeRiding or time travel. If they'd mentioned a time loop or something of the sort I might be satisfied, but I don't recall any explanation.

I was getting the Groundhog Day feeling as well. Love that movie. I was trying to wrap my head around not seeing themselves as well and did not come up with a conclusion.

15) Also, if time has a habit of fixing itself, are changes really that worrisome? The idea would imply there may be other forces at work, doesn't it? So what are they or am I reading too much into the Kennedy experience?

I was under the impression only small changes would fix themselves.

16) So we finally have confirmation that Kramer's team is bad news. Letting Hitler take over? I shudder at the thought of how that would alter the present. He was trying to cleanse the genetic pallet. Just imagine how many would have died. I have to ask, couldn't this have ended up with Maddy and Sal never existing to save (I believe this is called the grandfather paradox)? This made me think going back so far in time to utilize Liam might be a good idea. Perhaps he could have remained in the future even after a big change because he'd been displaced prior? The question is, could their home base or their equipment have survived? Look what happened to the cell phone.

17) Is anyone else incredibly curious as to where the other TimeRiders are? Wouldn't you think it'd be a good idea to know them or have some way of identifying another team if needed? Perhaps they're not far enough into their training for this? Could Foster have lied?

I am wondering the same thing.

18) Foster's confession that he's only around 27 years old is disturbing. I'm guessing that's why he didn't go back in time with Liam--he's currently too sick. How will this four man (if you count Bob) crew be able to fix history? Will we meet more TimeRiders? Any theories?
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Questions and Comments for Chapters 37 - 49
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19)It seems like a little detail. But they shop, go to restaurants and do laundry. How? They need money for hat right?

20)Liam O'Connor is my friend
That was interesting. More so that against all odds, Bob decided to skip all three windows and rescue Liam. What do you think of this outcome?

I like the idea of him having feelings. I am always rooting for androids to have feelings.

21)So Hitler died and Kramer is the new leather. That's a scary though. A bit predictable, don't you think?

22)Isn't ironic that it was the trip to the past that caused the erasing of history?

I thought it was when Hitler did not attack Russia?

23)That voice on Kramer's head is disturbing. They destroyed the world. Without power, there is no time bubble. How they will get Liam and Bob back?
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Questions and Comments for Chapters 50 - 58
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24) So I have to admit, I was so engrossed in the story, I read ahead a bit and didn't realize it. What I thought would happen did--the bubble burst and so did their machinery. What did you think of the second time shift from Kramer's takeover? What did you make of the cannibals? Anyone else surprised that all the TimeRiders from the future are still around? What about Bob? Will his technology fail? So far he seems fine.

They were creepy but reminded me of other movies I have seen.

25) Bob is definitely giving off a Terminator vibe. Sonia you had that one nailed early on. Do you like it when an author uses something from one of their favorite movies or books? When done right (ie not overdoing it), I always feel it's an author's way of paying tribute to those that came before them whose work they loved. What are your thoughts on Bob and his terminator resemblance?

I did not get a big Terminator vibe so it did not bother me.

26) Liam is definitely collecting a lot of information and zeroing in on where the change took place. I wonder if Bob managed to figure out the date they should go back to like Liam?

27) Anyone else curious of just what time period Foster is from and who exactly he is? Where are all the other TimeRiders and what about the department they supposedly work for?

I want to know these answers as well.

28) So you go back in time and take over the world. Then what do you do? You destroy your time machine, really? Would anyone else have done that? I'm surprised he didn't want to travel back and see what changes his handiwork had reaped.

Not sure how he would bring it with him?

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Questions and Comments for Chapters 59 - 70
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29)I'm still in shock with the reaction to the assault of Liam's compound. After so many movies about the world war II I shouldn't be, but seeing the soldiers open fire to unarmed prisoners to avoid the rescue still seems unreal. Can you imagine 6 months there? No wonder Liam was losing hope.

30)'Although they look human, you must try not to think of them as such. They're nothing more than meat robots'
And now we have the matrix. Ironic, since it was a meat robot that didn't give up on saving the human on the mission.

31)I am not liking Foster at this point. OK, so that's the all purpose if the support units. But why being so blunt?

What bothers me the most is how much he does not tell them. There is something fishy going on. IMO.

32)I had to laugh about the scene of the sigh from the beyond. Desperate times do make people believe in miracles.

Yep.

33)Liam has to do what? So what is this, kill the support units day? Not to mention the effect it will have on Liam and the reactiion Bob's followers when a little boy cracks open the head of their angel from the beyond.

34)Kramer is losing it. Executing Haas on the spot? I'm wondering if anybody that goes back and alters history will become like that. Maybe that's why Foster is so detached?

35)Not enough power to get Liam back. Not enough detachment on Liam to send Bob's head back. Now what? Even if they're able to get back, how would Liam and Bob be able to stop Kramer's powerful group in order to keep history? This doesn't seem promising
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Questions and Comments for Chapter 32 - end
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36) We left hanging with little to no information about Foster. Anyone else a little upset? His comment at the end to Maddy made me think we haven't seen the last of him. Perhaps we'll meet a younger version of him? What do you think?

Yes, I was a bit frustrated with the lack of some info.

37) It sounds like Foster gave Maddy the ins and outs of the operation. Were you as disappointed as I was that we still have no clue? Where does all the modern technology (like the replacement tubes and artificial fetuses) come from? Are there more Riders? Who controls it all and why didn't they get to meet them?

Ditto, still frustrated.
I also kept wondering why they never mentioned scanning for the creatures that can come out of the portal after talking about it in the beginning. He made such a big deal out of it that I kept expecting to encounter them again but we did not.
Also, I still want to know why the guy who invented time travel did not want anyone to ever do it again. What happened?

38) Foster said they can grow a clone of Bob. Can they program him into the brain of the next AI guy? Do you think his personality (what little he acquired) will be altered in any way?

39) The out of the bubble question was answered although I think I may have more questions now. lol Anything bothering you about how things played out in that respect? I still say if Sal was out of the bubble, then she should have disappeared as if she was never born when the last (end of the world) shift hit.

Agreed.

40) Is anyone else upset that no one told Liam his aging will be accelerated by time traveling? It sounds like he already aged with this last trip at least from what Sal wrote.

I think he should have been told.

41) Did they ever explain how they were able to get enough energy to retrieve Liam and Bob and then transport them back in time? I admit I rushed through this section a bit. I still can't believe Liam was able to cut out Bob's unit. *Shudder* I don't think I could have.

It took less energy since they were in the same spot just different time. At least that is how I understood it.

42) So what were your overall thoughts on the author's portrayal of the time traveling? Were you satisfied with the way it played out or did you think he left much to be explained? If the latter, did it take away from your reading enjoyment?

I did enjoy the book even with the flaws that were presented.

43) What was your overall rating of the book? Did you like the ending?

I rated it three stars.

44) Do you wish to participate in a buddy read of the second book of the series?

Sometime in the future if I need a book to read, sure. But, as of now, I have other books I would rather read first.

Side point: It was interesting how Hitler went nuts and so did Kramer.

(hide spoiler)]

[Zonnah]

Sonia wrote: "No I don't read Stephen King. Tried twice, had nightmares for a month"

Me too.

[Zonnah]

Renee wrote: "Short chapters keep me engaged."

It is a nice change from the game of thrones chapters.

[Zonnah]

Renee wrote: " I try to keep the target audience in mind while reading, so I don't get frustrated."

I try to do this as well.

[Kelly]

Questions and Comments for Chapters 16 - 26

7)We have Time Travel. Artificial in vitro units and computers inserted into brain cells. Terminator much? Maybe that's why Liam's last name is O'Connor?
I'm rather confused why you'd make a giant super attractive man to supervise a bunch of random 13-18 year old kids... you'd think that'd make you stand out a lot.

8)So Sal is an observer and Maddie the analyst. What did you think about the training? And what will be Liam's talent? Maybe it has to do with him saving the mother and child and risking his own life to make sure nobody else was on the deck?
Maybe he's the one who goes out into the field to fix things?

9) What do you think is Kramer's mission? I confess as soon as I saw 1941 the first thought was Oh now, they going to kill Einstein. Maybe changing something that causes Germany to win the war?
Maybe kill hitler earlier? or maybe try to help him and force Communism on the world. I suppose that would change the corporation aspect of how this mess got started in the first place.

10)The book so far seems a little unfair to the TimeRiders. OK, so they would be dead if not for the mission. But reliving the same day over and over, seeing always the same things? Liam having to be completely under water when his biggest fear is to drown?
I think YA books tend to be about overcoming your fears since that's so much of what teens are dealing with at the point in their life where they're at. The world seems scary but they have to try to find their place in it so they have to overcome their fears. Plus being super important and saving the world is always good. It probably has a bit of the parental imposed rules aspect to it since that probably dictates much of teens thoughts too.

11)So they saved president Kennedy. For now. I may be over analyzing it but that doesn't sound a "little change" to me. Who knows what the effects can be? Any theories?
I'm guessing that they wanted a "little change" to cause a "big ripple" since little ripples get fixed and they'd want something that a new observer could notice. It also could have been something that someone previously had tried that they already had to fix so they knew it has a very specific result. I think it's a bit cruel doing this over and over again as a training tool.

12)100 pages into the book. What do you think about the writing style and world building?
I think it's a fairly typical YA book as far as writing style goes. It feels a bit choppy with the short chapters. World building in time travel books always presents a bit of a problem since the world can change at any time.

[Kelly]

Questions and Comments for Chapters 27 - 36

13) So I find it interesting that they use the Kennedy assassination as a standard training exercise which implies they use it often. Wouldn't that mean they'd run into other trainees who had attempted or done the same thing? While I liked the ripple affect we see and the scant amount of world building associated with that change, I want to know why the TimeRiders notice the said changes? What makes them immune to it all? Could it be that since they were from the future, the ripple effect would take a while to grab hold of them and alter their memories? I wish this was explained.
Hrm. My guess is that since they

14) Also, why wouldn't they see themselves in the same places they frequent day after day on the same day? I'm a touch confused. Shouldn't they see multiple versions of themselves? I feel like I'm seeing rips in the fabric of the story. It feels more like Groundhog Day than TimeRiding or time travel. If they'd mentioned a time loop or something of the sort I might be satisfied, but I don't recall any explanation.
Hrm. Though they don't see each other when they repeat the day over and over again. Maybe it's part of the time line healing itself.

15) Also, if time has a habit of fixing itself, are changes really that worrisome? The idea would imply there may be other forces at work, doesn't it? So what are they or am I reading too much into the Kennedy experience?
It said it could fix small changes but not big ones. Kinda like if something bends too far out of place then it won't spring back.

16) So we finally have confirmation that Kramer's team is bad news. Letting Hitler take over? I shudder at the thought of how that would alter the present. He was trying to cleanse the genetic pallet. Just imagine how many would have died. I have to ask, couldn't this have ended up with Maddy and Sal never existing to save (I believe this is called the grandfather paradox)? This made me think going back so far in time to utilize Liam might be a good idea. Perhaps he could have remained in the future even after a big change because he'd been displaced prior? The question is, could their home base or their equipment have survived? Look what happened to the cell phone.
Well. They do make a big point of not bringing anything back with them so I assume that things have lasting power.

17) Is anyone else incredibly curious as to where the other TimeRiders are? Wouldn't you think it'd be a good idea to know them or have some way of identifying another team if needed? Perhaps they're not far enough into their training for this? Could Foster have lied?
There's got to be some parent organization that sets things up and picks locations. I'm guessing they want to make sure ripples are as small as possible.

18) Foster's confession that he's only around 27 years old is disturbing. I'm guessing that's why he didn't go back in time with Liam--he's currently too sick. How will this four man (if you count Bob) crew be able to fix history? Will we meet more TimeRiders? Any theories?
I imagine we'll meet more of them. I suppose it explains why they pick young people. I have to say though that determining how old you are when skipping around time seems hard.

[Kelly]

Questions and Comments for Chapters 37 - 49

19)It seems like a little detail. But they shop, go to restaurants and do laundry. How? They need money for hat right?
I'm guessing there's some parent organization. Though I'm not sure once Foster goes away how they'll interact with it. Maybe the money refreshes each day so they can use it since they keep looping back in time. You'd think they'd just keep stuff outside their bubble and then re-use it every 2 days.

20)Liam O'Connor is my friend
That was interesting. More so that against all odds, Bob decided to skip all three windows and rescue Liam. What do you think of this outcome?
You'd think protecting the operative would be high on their list anyway. I'm surprised he even had to get to the "is my friend" level. I wouldn't want to have to retrain new operatives all the time.

21)So Hitler died and Kramer is the new leather. That's a scary though. A bit predictable, don't you think?
Why would you go back just to sit in the shadows. Plus in his mind he's doing it as a benefit to humanity so he probably thinks it's the right thing to do.

22)Isn't ironic that it was the trip to the past that caused the erasing of history?
I suppose they're always at risk of making it worse. You'd think that they would have screwed it up worse by this point and wouldn't have been able to recover. Though I suppose you can't really tell what the original timeline ever was.

23)That voice on Kramer's head is disturbing. They destroyed the world. Without power, there is no time bubble. How they will get Liam and Bob back?
Didn't they have a generator? I'm guessing that something Liam and Bob do back in time will fix something. Or maybe the other groups come into play now, or they do something to fix it since they must have seen the end of the world too or been part of the downfall.
I'm somewhat guessing the voice may be a seeker that's embedded itself into Kramer.

[Kelly]

Questions and Comments for Chapters 50 - 58

24) So I have to admit, I was so engrossed in the story, I read ahead a bit and didn't realize it. What I thought would happen did--the bubble burst and so did their machinery. What did you think of the second time shift from Kramer's takeover? What did you make of the cannibals? Anyone else surprised that all the TimeRiders from the future are still around? What about Bob? Will his technology fail? So far he seems fine.
I'm not surprised since otherwise when Kramer first changed history he probably would have poofed since his mother was american. When he did the second time he definitely would have poofed. I'm guessing people out of sync with the current time line are linked to a different probability sequence. I'm guessing they have some self healing technology for Bob. Plus if it's organic technology it would heal like any other wound would.

25) Bob is definitely giving off a Terminator vibe. Sonia you had that one nailed early on. Do you like it when an author uses something from one of their favorite movies or books? When done right (ie not overdoing it), I always feel it's an author's way of paying tribute to those that came before them whose work they loved. What are your thoughts on Bob and his terminator resemblance?
I thought it was funny that they had him be president in the future. It dates the book for when it was written :). I think he was more just trying to be clever than paying tribute.

26) Liam is definitely collecting a lot of information and zeroing in on where the change took place. I wonder if Bob managed to figure out the date they should go back to like Liam?
It seems like Bob isn't spending any time working on those details just on rescuing Liam. I suppose Bob could probably get the answer if he talked to everyone who's hanging around him.

27) Anyone else curious of just what time period Foster is from and who exactly he is? Where are all the other TimeRiders and what about the department they supposedly work for?
I'm not sure it matters when you come from after you've worked the time line for awhile, you probably learn all you need from each time. I'm confused as to where the other TimeRiders are, you'd think they'd be trying to fix this too. Plus I'm not sure how one TimeRider's actions would affect another teams. The logic doesn't quite add up but then it rarely does in time travel books. Probably mostly because books are sequential and they're trying to describe a non-sequential story.

28) So you go back in time and take over the world. Then what do you do? You destroy your time machine, really? Would anyone else have done that? I'm surprised he didn't want to travel back and see what changes his handiwork had reaped.
I think he likes being in power too much. Or maybe they don't have the means to use it from the past?

[Yzabel]

Kelly wrote: "Probably mostly because books are sequential and they're trying to describe a non-sequential story."

...Now I have that vision of a time-travel story based on several novels, with each containing part of the plot, and readers would have to navigate through them to get the whole story.
Were I to do that, tought, I'd probably set my brains on a time for self-destruction. And the reader's as well.

Come to think of it, we never heard of the Seekers anymore. I'm starting to think, what was the point of mentioning them at all in the beginning? To add tension? There wasn't any, since they basically just had to walk out and sit it out for a couple of hours before the thing vanished of its own accord. Couldn't have it been kept for a later book, with a plot more geared towards those?

[Kelly]

Questions and Comments for Chapters 59 - 70

29)I'm still in shock with the reaction to the assault of Liam's compound. After so many movies about the world war II I shouldn't be, but seeing the soldiers open fire to unarmed prisoners to avoid the rescue still seems unreal. Can you imagine 6 months there? No wonder Liam was losing hope.
Well... it kinda makes sense from a tactical point of view. You get half your potential enemies out of the way before they have time to get armed. Plus I'm guessing they have orders for that type of thing. It's hard to imagine but I think most people in these situations believe they're on the right side of the situation. They probably feel like they're helping stabilize the world and the causalities are just unfortunate things that have to happen.

30)'Although they look human, you must try not to think of them as such. They're nothing more than meat robots'
And now we have the matrix. Ironic, since it was a meat robot that didn't give up on saving the human on the mission.
Reminds me of the personhood debate going on right now. How if corporations can be people under the law then they're looking at making apes persons under the law too. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_ap...) They're distinguishing between the rights of a being or entity and the actual state of being human. I'm guessing robots would fall under the same type of rights where they're not human but thats not a reason to treat them inhumanly (or is it inpersonly now?)

31)I am not liking Foster at this point. OK, so that's the all purpose if the support units. But why being so blunt?
I'm guessing it's because he has had to watch lots of them die before. It's probably like how morgue attendants start having really crass humor to keep themselves from going crazy. If you can think of them as not human then it's easier to do what has to be done.

32)I had to laugh about the scene of the sigh from the beyond. Desperate times do make people believe in miracles.
Heh. I could see it though. I doubt anyone from then would have any idea that you could do robots that acted and looked just like people. It's too far outside the realm of reality.

33)Liam has to do what? So what is this, kill the support units day? Not to mention the effect it will have on Liam and the reactiion Bob's followers when a little boy cracks open the head of their angel from the beyond.
I'm confused as to why they need what's in Bob's head. Don't they just need what Liam discovered about the specific night they appeared?

34)Kramer is losing it. Executing Haas on the spot? I'm wondering if anybody that goes back and alters history will become like that. Maybe that's why Foster is so detached?
I probably would have shot Kramer if it had been me. At the point at which someone hooks up a nuclear bomb and declares the end of the world is the time my willingness to talk to them is coming to an end.

35)Not enough power to get Liam back. Not enough detachment on Liam to send Bob's head back. Now what? Even if they're able to get back, how would Liam and Bob be able to stop Kramer's powerful group in order to keep history? This doesn't seem promising
I'm surprised that they haven't decided that since something terrible happened in the future that they would work on changing something. I'd go after Kramer now, stop things, then go back to the future and back to the right past and fix things for good. But that's just me.

I still don't understand the time differences between the two times. Why would you have to wait to send back a portal to the past? Don't you just aim it at a different time?

[Kelly]

Yzabel wrote: "Come to think of it, we never heard of the Seekers anymore. I'm starting to think, what was the point of mentioning them at all in the beginning? To add tension? There wasn't any, since they basically just had to walk out and sit it out for a couple of hours before the thing vanished of its own accord. Couldn't have it been kept for a later book, with a plot more geared towards those? "

I really thought that a seeker was what caused Kramer to go nuts in the first place. I haven't read the last segment yet but I'm guessing that's not the case if you're still wondering about it. Maybe we find out stuff later on them or it was just the reason that they couldn't keep stuff open for longer periods of time.

[Kelly]

Questions and Comments for Chapter 32 - end

36) We left hanging with little to no information about Foster. Anyone else a little upset? His comment at the end to Maddy made me think we haven't seen the last of him. Perhaps we'll meet a younger version of him? What do you think?
I'm curious why he doesn't just live right outside the bubble, couldn't they go talk to him each day then when the time bubble resets? Maybe they meet him in the past or something.

37) It sounds like Foster gave Maddy the ins and outs of the operation. Were you as disappointed as I was that we still have no clue? Where does all the modern technology (like the replacement tubes and artificial fetuses) come from? Are there more Riders? Who controls it all and why didn't they get to meet them?
I assume they kept it secret so there can be lots more books in the series. Can't reveal everything.

38) Foster said they can grow a clone of Bob. Can they program him into the brain of the next AI guy? Do you think his personality (what little he acquired) will be altered in any way?
I assume they can download him. I would imagine he'd be slightly different but only what was stored in the little organic part. Though I suppose there's nothing really stopping them from cloning him with that part setup too. I'm guessing it wouldn't work that way.

39) The out of the bubble question was answered although I think I may have more questions now. lol Anything bothering you about how things played out in that respect? I still say if Sal was out of the bubble, then she should have disappeared as if she was never born when the last (end of the world) shift hit.
Hrm. Well technically she hadn't been born yet so I suppose nothing earlier would affect her maybe? It's hard to argue that anything in these books is wrong since you can play it however you want.

40) Is anyone else upset that no one told Liam his aging will be accelerated by time traveling? It sounds like he already aged with this last trip at least from what Sal wrote.
It seems a bit cruel to keep it from him but if his alternative is going back and dieing right away.... doesn't sound like he'd choose that.

41) Did they ever explain how they were able to get enough energy to retrieve Liam and Bob and then transport them back in time? I admit I rushed through this section a bit. I still can't believe Liam was able to cut out Bob's unit. *Shudder* I don't think I could have.
I think they got enough energy since it was close to home instead of across a distance. Why relative earth location matters I don't know since 50 years ago or so the earth is in a different part of space but.... we'll go with it. I think I could have. If you think about it, he actually saved Bob. Otherwise Bob would have really died and not been able to be brought back.

42) So what were your overall thoughts on the author's portrayal of the time traveling? Were you satisfied with the way it played out or did you think he left much to be explained? If the latter, did it take away from your reading enjoyment?
I liked it well enough. I try not to think too much about the science involved and just go with the explanations and world they've set up. If's science fiction anyways so they're allowed to take liberties.

43) What was your overall rating of the book? Did you like the ending?
I think I'll give it a 3. Ending was fine. The part that annoyed me was that the main story of going back and killing Kramer was such a small part of the book. I wish that plot line was bigger and not just a giant series of oops I hope we can recovers. (That and if Foster really did have all the questions she'll ask in the future wouldn't he know the answer to this one as well?)

44) Do you wish to participate in a buddy read of the second book of the series?
I'd be willing to.